Improvement in blasting rocks



T. J. WHEATLE'Y.

Blasting Books.

No. 203,097 Patented April 30, 1878.

Hi llll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. WHEATLEY, O WI KHsBARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT I N BLASTING ROCKS.

Specification forming part offL'etters Patent No. 203,097, dated April30, 1878 application filed i 4 y June 12, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs J. WHEATLEY, of Wilkesbarre, in the county ofLuzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Blasting Rocks, of which the following is aspecification:

My improvement in blasting consists of having an unoccupied spacebetween the top of the powder or other explosive material and the lowerend of the tamping, which enables thework to be done with much less ofthe explosive material, and the flash of the explosion extinguishesbefore the oxygenof the air can combine with it, so that it cannotignite the gases set free from the fissures and leaders 'of coal-minesby the explosion, thus preventing the burning of the mines, ing it doesnot, owing to the more elastic nature of the force, break the coal sofinely as when the space is not employed.

The drawing is a section of a rock or coal lead, showing a charge setaccording to my invention. 1

' A is the rock or coal bed, in which the hole B for the charge isdrilled in the usual or any approved way. 0 is the charge of powder orother explosive material in the bottom of the hole; D, the unoccupiedspace above, and E the tamping, the latter being located as far and incoal-mim,

packed lightly at the beginning, so as not to drive the wad. Its ownpressure against the sides of the hole will, after a certain quantity ispacked in, be sufiicient to sustain the heavy packing afterwardnecessary. The button E may be fixed on the tube F by which the fuse isinserted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- The method herein described of charging a I mine orblast, which consists in confining the charge or ,cartridge at alittle'distance from the tamping or plug,'and leaving an air-spacebetween the powder and tamping, all sub stantially as set forth.

THOMAS J. WHEATLEY.

In presence of- GEo. R. WRIGHT, RICHARD B. REILEY.

